Alumni Profiles

ONE UNH ALUM was just thrilled to be there. Another wanted his team's feisty spirit to make an impression. A third was hoping for another gold medal. Yet when the 2006 Winter Olympics were over, all three had something in common besides their alma mater: amazing memories.

Tricia Dunn-Luoma '96 (center, at right) went to Torino, ltaly, with the heavily favored U.S. women's ice hockey team, hoping to revisit her 1998 gold-medal experience. The team seemed well on its way after its first game against the Swiss, which they won 6-0. A headline after the game read, "Shorthanded goal makes Team USA win over Switzerland a Dunn deal."

For the past two winter Olympics, the United States and Canada have met in the women's ice hockey final. But as the U.S. team found out to its dismay, other countries—notably Sweden and Finland—have been watching and learning. "You want something like that to happen, but you don't want it to be at your expense," said Dunn-Luoma after the semifinal game against Sweden, which ended with the United States losing in a shootout.

"Obviously, it's disappointing and painful, but it's still an absolutely amazing experience," said Dunn-Luoma from her home outside Minneapolis, Minn. "I was very proud of this team." Regrouping, the team went on to beat Finland 4-0 for a bronze medal. It was Dunn-Luoma's third Olympic medal—she won a silver in Salt Lake City in 2002.

As the sole and first Ethiopian to compete in the Winter Olympics, Robel Teklemariam '97 (below) could hardly believe his childhood dream was coming true. "I think it took me a few days before the buzz started coming down," said Teklemariam, who was ranked among the top 30 college skiers in the nation when he skied at UNH. "It was a huge honor to be able to represent the country I love, in the sport I love. I had been dreaming of it since I was 12 years old."

To make it to the Olympics, Teklemariam had to establish a national skiing federation in his home country. At Torino, Teklemariam was a team of one. "The thing I will take back the most is spending the time with other people with big dreams being fulfilled," he said. "My result at the games was OK (he placed 84th in the 15K classical cross-country) but I know I can do much better in the future. I think I definitely have opened the eyes of other Ethiopians who ski."

The Italian men's hockey team coached by Mickey Goulet '69 had plenty of incentive to do well, since it was playing in its home country. And while his team didn't win against teams stacked with NHL players, Goulet's goal had always been to play with heart. "Italians are known for their passion, and that's been my theme since I arrived," said Goulet from his home in Ottawa. "I said we're going to base this team on people who want to play, and play hard. We weren't going to take a back seat to anybody. That was our approach in the Olympics."

Goulet drew from the lessons of the American 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team and from his coaches at UNH, Rube Bjorkman and Charlie Holt. "When I first came to Italy, they just wanted, as they say, a 'bella figura,' a team that makes a good show," he said. "I said, no, we play aggressive. We're not going to sit back and put people to sleep. That's not the Italian way."